Aliquippa police said a 12-year-old girl was tortured by her parents, tied up, gagged and waterboarded.

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Updated: 7:15 PM EDT Oct 2, 2017

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WEBVTT S 4 REPORTER MARCIACIPRIANI.REPORTER: I SPOKE TO A NEIGHBORHERE IN THIS ALLEQUIPPACOMMUNITY WHO TELLS ME A12-YEAR-OLD GIRL CONTACTED HERAND SAID SHE WAS AFRAID AFTERBEING WATER BOARDED IN THEBASEMENT OF THIS HOME.THAT WOMAN TELLS ME SHE KNEW SHEHAD TO HELP.>> I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS RIGHT.REPORTER: THIS NEIGHBOR ASKED WENOT SHOW HER FACE.>> THAT'S WHY I CALLED AND HADHER REMOVED OUT OF THE HOUSE.REPORTER: BUT DON OWENDAWNOWENS HAD NO PROBLEM SHARING HERNAME.>> I I KNEW I WAS HELPING ASTYLE.REPORTER: AND WHY SHE STEPPEDIN.THE 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL CONFIDED INHER THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES,TELLING HERSHEY FELT ALONE ANDAFRAID.>> SHE SAID HER PARENTS WOULDTAKE HER DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT,TIE HER TO A CHAIR AND IF SHESCREAMED THEY'D SHOVE WATER DOWNHER THROAT.REPORTER: OWENS SAYS SHE CALLEDCHILD LINE, A TIP LINE TO REPORTSUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE, AND THECASE WAS HANDED TO ALLEQUIPPADETECTIVE, A CAPTAIN.>> I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT ITGOES BEYOND THE SCOPE OFDISCIPLINE.REPORTER: ACCORDING TO THECRIMINAL COMPLAINT THE GIRL WASDRAGGED DOWNSTAIRS INTO THEBASEMENT.THERE WERE RAGS STUFFED IN HERMOUTH AND OVER HER FACE, HERHAND WERE TIED BEHIND HER BACKWITH PANELING TAPEPACKAGINGTAPE AND WATER BOARD OVER THEBAG RESTRICTING HER BREATHING.THE PARENTS ADMITTED TOWATERBOARDING THEIR CHILD ANDCLAIMED THEY SAW IT IN A MOVIE.THE STEVENS ARE CHARGED WITHADULT BUT POLICE SAY THEY LEFTTHEIR HOME AND SO FAR HAVEN'TBEEN FOUND.>> I'M GLAD SOMETHING IS BEINGDONE ABOUT IT.SHE DOES IN THE NEED NONE OFTHAT.REPORTER: POLICE BELIEVE MELISSAAND DEON STEVENS ARE STILL INTHE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AREAPOSSIBLY IN PITTSBURGH.IF YOU SEE THEM YOU'RE ASKED TO

Police: 12-year-old girl waterboarded by parents

Aliquippa police said a 12-year-old girl was tortured by her parents, tied up, gagged and waterboarded.

Aliquippa police said a 12-year-old girl was tortured by her parents, tied up, gagged and waterboarded.

"She said that her parents would take her down into the basement, tie her to a chair and when she screamed, they shoved water down her throat," said neighbor Dawn Owens.Owens said the little girl told her what happened and she reported the abuse.

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"She confided in me through text messages and everything at first she was scared for me to call, but after me convincing her that it's not right, she finally decided to go ahead and let me make the call," said Owens.

According to the criminal complaint, Malisa and Dion Stevens admitted that they dragged their daughter into the basement, stuffed rags in her mouth and over her face, tied her hands behind her back with packaging tape and poured water over the rag, restricting her breathing. Police said the Stevenses claimed it was discipline and they got the idea from a movie.